Mentioned as a 2025 trade chip, Joe Milton continues to see a path back to a second Patriots season appear murky. The Josh Dobbs signing began the trade buzz involving the rocket-armed backup, and it persists.
Milton is drawing trade interest, according to MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian and Mark Daniels, who add the quarterback does not appear against a move. Milton would prefer to be dealt to a place that offers a chance to compete for a starting job, and multiple trade inquiries have come the Patriots’ way.
That is blocked in New England, but most other teams do not have open jobs. A handful do, however, and some other teams — the Rams, Saints and Giants, to name three — have older QBs in place for 2025 but questions for 2026. Milton would profile as an interesting lottery ticket, but as a sixth-round pick last year, the Tennessee alum may not be drawing interest as a potential starter option.
As it stands, Milton is unlikely to fetch a Day 2 pick in a trade, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. One game against Bills backups (and some training camp buzz last summer) likely will not overtake six years of college work that pegged him as a sixth-round talent. While carrying one of the NFL’s strongest arms, Milton still profiles as a project. Though, teams could definitely come up with much less exciting QB2 options.
“Everybody wants to play. Everybody wants to be the starter, everybody and that’s great to have that attitude,” Mike Vrabel said. “And he was ready for his opportunity there late in the season, which I commend him on, just like I would any player that sat there and went through a long season, a difficult season, and then got the opportunity, went out, won a football game, played well, helped his team win.”
“And then where that leads to, we’ll see as the draft approaches, or where Joe is on April 7 to start our offseason program. But you have to give Joe credit for being ready to go, going from the third quarterback to being able to win that football game and stay ready and stay hungry.”
If the Patriots cannot obtain a Day 2 pick for Milton, it is worth wondering if they will stand down. A report last month indicated a Day 2 pick as the target in a trade. Although the draft profiles as the NFL’s second trade window annually, Guregian and Daniels note a trade involving Milton likely would not happen until after the draft due to teams’ depth charts being in flux during the three-day event. A team that does not see its QB plans unfold to its liking could take a flier on Milton, who would at least bring appeal as a player signed at sixth-round money through 2027.
The Pats have Dobbs in place as their Maye backup now, and plenty of depth chart changes — a few involving former Titans — have occurred during Vrabel’s first weeks on the job. It will be interesting to see if the Pats hang onto Milton while holding out for at least a mid-round selection or if they are interested in beginning OTAs with a locked-in QB room.